I just broke off the top 6-8 inches of my 8ft tica last night:af: :af: :af: . I was gonna just put a tip on the top, but got some advice and decided to just get a new one, dont wanna loose my first 40lber because of a #^&#^&#^&#^&e rod. I mainly throw eels and plugs up to 3.5 ounces, and will be using a penn 6500ss. The area i fish is very rocky and rairly fish the sand. I also mainly target larger fish . What do you guys think would be a good fit for under $100??

Thanks

WHat do you guys think about a batson 1088??

Nice stick, bit light for eels and big wood...
Not under 100 clams though.....
Go 1089 or 1209 if your doing a Batson.....
And chef...
I think most of us here target big fish :smash:

I wouldnt be able to get the 1089 or 1209 for around $100 though. How does the 1088 compare to the 8ft tica? I liked the tica, maybe a lil ight but it still got the job done. Gotta get one today!!!

Chef is the Tica still under warranty? If it is maybe you can get a replacement where you bought it.

the 1088 would be a good replacement for the tica if you liked that rod and it fit your needs. IMO, a 9' is a bit small in most of the places you fish. i throw a 10' 99.9% of the time. in the $100 range, i am not sure what you could get. remember though, you get what you pay for in surf gear.

The tica is probally still under warranty but i doubt it would be covered because it got caught on a mailbox and snapped, was my fault not a manufacturing defect. Aslo dont have a receipt. Tlapinski, id like to spend some money on a nice rod, but my hours at work have got cut back drastically and i cant really spend over a $100 . Been living check to check for the most part and a hundred is about all i can spend without worrying about paying my bills. My tica was 8ft , so the 1088 would be a lil stiffer then that , right? I caught countles fish in the mid 20's with it, with no problem. Just dont wanna lose my first 50lb when i get her on my line!!!

What about a 10' Tsunami? I've seen them in stores and everyone seems to have generally good things to say about them....ans they're only about $90

the 1088 is actually a little softer. length does not equal strength. it is a great rod, if that is what you can afford right now. Bud8's $140 is a good deal on that blank custom built by a reputable builder.

by the way, you don't need to tell them you broke the rod on a mailbox. say it happened on a fish and a lot of times the shop will give you one on the spot. you should have a good relationship with your local shop with all the fish you have been weighing in this season.

I wouldnt tell my tackle shop i broke it on a fish though because one i wouldnt want it to cost them anything(they are great people there) and 2nd Pt.judejoe who is a memeber here also works there and would read this post and find out anyhow. Now if i brought it at walmart that would be a different story:D :D :D . MAybe i could contact tica and do it directly through them, but then id have to wait. AAAARRRRGGGG i wish i was rich!!! So i would probally be best off getting another 8ft tica for $60 over the batson from bud8fan , seeing the tica is a lil stiffer.

You may want to go for the 9' Tica rated 2-6 ozs. I recently picked one up and I really like it. Strong rod and very light. The only thing I don't like on these rods is the reel seats.

The 9ft is a 2 piece rod though, no? I thought a 1 piece was much better?? What did you pay for the 9ft?

Or you could just tell the shop what happened and let them make the call. Sometimes they can service a good customer regardless.

If you're really strapped for cash I'd just get another tics/tsunami/okuma whatever made in China rod. They can't be beat for the value. Throw 20 bucks a month into a jar during the winter and you'll have enough for a sweet custom rod by spring.

-spence

Yeah it is a 2 piece, most seem to like a 1 piece better. I paid about 60 bucks.

There may be an an "over the counter no questions asked replacement on breakage" on those rods. I know there is on the Tsunami rod I bought...and I broke it and they gave me a new one. THe dealer said he has he has done it twice so far.

Go to CMS is Dartmouth MA. Ask for Eric or Charlie and have them make you a custom 1 piece rod with a Fuji seat and Fuji ceramic guides. It will last you a lifetime and you won't be screwin' around with broken rods. I have 3 Pacific Bay Saber blanks they wrapped for me. 2 10' 1 9'. Have all 3 rod 5 or 6 years and have them re-wrapped every winter.
They will cost you between $150 and $200. Put a deposit on a blank and have them make it this winter. You will have the rest of the money saved by Spring.
Good rods don't as a rule break. I fish 100+ nights a year from Watch Hill to Race Point. I have never broken a rod...guides yes, the rod no.

Originally posted by piemma
Go to CMS is Dartmouth MA. Ask for Eric or Charlie and have them make you a custom 1 piece rod with a Fuji seat and Fuji ceramic guides. It will last you a lifetime and you won't be screwin' around with broken rods.

Unless you have another run in with a mailbox. LOL!!!:laughs:

I definantly want a custom for next year, but cant afford it right now. It broke because it got snagged on a mailbox as i was biking 5 miles to my spot, not on a fish.

Unless you have another run in with a mailbox. LOL!!!


:wall: :wall: :wall:

Ask pt.judejoe, my rods take a beating.:( :D

You better get a Fiberglass rod.

chef,
You definitely want something stronger than a 1088 for the type of fishing you do. 10 footer would help you out around the rocks as well.

I sold a few things I had around collecting dust, scraped up $5 or so a week as well as cashed in all my change to buy my last rod..........

If you gots the time buy the stuff and wrap it yourself. Mikecc put up a good how to somewhere here.

Fishaholic turned me onto the 1089 and it is awesome. I love it, it has a good backbone and is a great all around stick. I am not much of a sand sissy and I go to the ditch alot, which as most know can be hell.."largest lead deposit on the east coast" I believe..gather up your change and scrape it together, it will be worth it..IMO:hihi:

Got a ride to wallyworld and got a 9ft ugly stik. Im just gonna return it for a refund when i figure out what i want or at the end of the season. SO whats your guys favorite eel stix for around a $100? Around $200?
Thanks for all your advice

surfcasting rhode island custom 1088.great rod for eels.i love mine. snake slinger

if you want a custom, look here at the 1201M.
http://www.striped-bass.com/StriperTalk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16722

you will spend a bit more than $100, but it will be the best rod you have for quite some time. at times i will be fishing with 3 other guys, and we will all be throwing this rod. i will probably build a third one this winter just because i like it so much. i think the blank alone runs about $140 or so.

Thats THE stick for general big plug surfcasting IMHO, the 1088 and 1089 are nice, but dont even get the same breath as the 1201M

i use a tsunami 10' and it seems to be good so far paid 95.00 for it @ #^&#^&#^&#^&s sporting goods.

gave my son my 9' ugly stick was too heavy to hold all night LOL. but i think they will last forever.

Anyone know the weight on a 1201M? SO id pay around $200 for it? I saw in the link t.lapinski posted that montauk guys would cut it down to 9ft or 9'6",would i wanna have this done? What would be the benefits of cutting it down? I was looking at quaker lane today, some of there rods were $400!!:eek: , with most around $150.

Chef,
Better get a second job! Cause ya aint gonna get a 120 1M for under $200 unless you build it yourself! Just the materials are close to the $200 range.

Oh and by the way........................... Thanks for not getting back to me on my 1088. Have fun with the Ugly Stick?????:rolleyes:



Russ

just got back a lil bit ago bud8fan:rolleyes: Just got the ugly stik until i got some more opinions, dont have a car to get anywhere and my roomamte was goin to wallyworld, and i can get a refund on it.

All Star or Batson SU 1208, around a buck-twenty-five for the blank. They're pretty sturdy for rock hopping.

Glass might be your better bet if your rods take a beating from the stones. Wrapped spinning, a Lami SB 121 3M can throw about 1-1/2 oz and still handle around 6 at the top end, and will outlast any graphite. A little heavy, but it pays off in durability and the ability to boss a fish around clutter.

get the 1088
very versitle rod IMO

Chef, I did some research on the perfect one piece eel rod last year, what I found was...

Batson 1088, great value in an eel plug rod for moderate size stuff. Not a big water, big lure blank.

Lami 1213m, great eel/big plug rod, also can jig and throw bait. Heavy, probably better conventional. Mine was less than 200 from CMS.

All Star 1208/Batson SU1208, outstanding plug rod but a bit too stiff for eels.

Arra 1205, excellent all around eel/plug rod. Handles a wide range and can go spinner or conventional. Has balls but expensive.

Lami 120m, same as the 1205 but a tad less expensive. Perhaps a tad more power.

-spence

So many choices:confused: :smash: :confused: :smash: . The 1088 is not as stiff as an 8 ft tica, right? I definetly want something as stiff if not a lil more then the tica. I remember how much i dislike the 9ft ugly stik after throwing eels with it for 4 hours tonight, too heavy and unresponsive .:smash: Im confused some say the 1088 is what im looking for others say it isnt. I might take you up on that offer to test it out bud8fan. Thanks for all your guys help and advice. I definetly gotta get rid of this ugly stik soon!!!! How diffucult and how much hardware and skill do i need to wrap my own? If i ordered a new custom would i possibly be able to help wrap it so i could learn the art??

chef, as you will learn in surf fishing, EVERYONE has their own opinion as to what works and what doesn't. yes the 1088 is not as stiff as the tica, but that is good. you do NOT want a stiff rod for tossing eels. that is, unless you have an endless free supply of them. the batson 1088 is actually a more powerful rod than the tica 8'. the best advice i can give you is to make do with what you have right now, and test out a lot of other rods this winter until you find one that suits you. you will like Bud8's 1088 if you give it a shot. it is not the perfect rod for eeling, but it would be a good blend of plugging and eeling until you can step up to different custom. then, you will have a solid back up rod if anything goes wrong down the road. the vast selection of rods out there is why a lot of us get into building our own. it allows you to really experiment with different set ups until you think you get it right.

anyway, here is a list of what i throw in SoCo/Narragansett area:

1201M lami graphite spinner
1201M lami graphite conv.
1213M lami glass conv.
1362F lami glass spinner
1208 allstar graphite spinner
1208 allstar graphite conv.
1089 batson graphite conv.

as well as a couple blanks i have been sworn to secrecy on....
:rolleyes:

If you can test the 1088 then by all means. The only way to know is to throw...

-spence

Get the 1088. Cheaper in the long run and you'll like it!

SO you guys think the 1088 would be a pretty good fit then? I liked the tica a lot, and the 1088 would be better for throwing eels then the tica, right? The 1088 has enough spine to turn bigger fish like the tica too, right? I just hate when i have a big fatty eels and my rod is like a noodle and cant get it out there. I used a 7' 6" medium action ugly stik for the first couple batches of the bigger fish i hooked into at the beginning of the season, and still got them turned, but it sucked throwing big eels and wood with it.So to ramble on here.The 1088 range is 1-4 ounces, so i could throw bombers and 2-3.5 ounce needles and dannys, etc with it? Bud8fan did offer to drive it down so i could test her out too. If you guys think it would be good for my situation and i like it , i think i might get it, only a lil more then this shiye 9ft ugly stick too. Then order a 1201m over the winter, which seems to be the prefered eeling/plugging stick.

Now you're talkin'!!!:btu:

So i should go with the 1088 for the rest of this season and get the 1201m for next??????

Given the options you've stated so far...YES!

-spence

I am building 2 1088s - I bought the blanks from Mike @ M&Ds. I cannot wait. After I get those built, I think I am going to go for a Batson/Allstar 1208 or 2....I will give you more feedback in the spring. :smash: :smash: Not too much help.

-IWK

Just bear in mind that there are two Batson 1088s.

The SW 1088 is the one that I think most of the folks are talking about. It's more of a moderate/fast taper blank with a good bend for eels.

The SU 1088 is a clone of the All Star 1088, and is noticeably stiffer.

However, I know a lot of guys who use the All Star for eels and they seem to like it.

So the sw1088 would be the best, and the su1088 should still be better then a tica?

Chef,

Do what piemma suggested, and get one built. That way you will get exactly what you are looking for. The GSB 1321L blank will be perfect for you, and have them cut one foot off the butt to make the rod 10'. Nelson's in P'Town used to build all of their 10' surf rods this way, and they will take decent abuse as well as handle the large fish. With only a few weeks left in the season, it makes little sense to be buying new rods now. Take advantage of the custom builders, as the rods will last. I think the sabre blanks are very good too, as I have a good friend from Rhody who has six of them, and CMS in the past was good about replacing the blanks at little or no cost to you. I don't know if it still applies, but is worth investigating.

I need a rod for the rest of the season though, cant use this 9ft ugly for more then another night. Plus the 1088 is just a lil more then the ugly stick , which im gonna return for a refund. Then gonna get something nice which fits my needs perfectly built over the winter.

CMS probably has a 1088 all built on the rack, I will look tom.
or buy Bud8fan's, it's a good deal.

Chef...two things....1..you can have a rod build in one solid color, which should knock the pice down..use harloy guides and no fancy sic's..if the builder wants the same price for plain as they would for a fancy wrap ,,go else where....and 2. if you find you don't like the rod that you had built....it doesn't mean you'll be struck with it...sell it and try again.

I certainly don't wish to hijack Chef's thread.I will be having a rod built on a Batson 1087/1088 blank this winter.

I strictly throw plugs.Which is better for throwing plugs the
SW or the SU blank?

Originally posted by tlapinski

anyway, here is a list of what i throw in SoCo/Narragansett area:

1201M lami graphite spinner
1201M lami graphite conv.
1213M lami glass conv.
1362F lami glass spinner
1208 allstar graphite spinner
1208 allstar graphite conv.
1089 batson graphite conv.


:rolleyes:


Damn Toby, Ya build'em all yourself? Nice arsenal to say the least! I assume the 1362F is for chunking cause if your pluggin' with that it must wear your a$$ out!


Well, gonna give Chef the chance to throw the 1088 later in the week. I have this feelin' that once he throws it he will realize what he has been missing using the Tica. Not that it isnt a decent factory rod........


:wavey:

Originally posted by bud8fan
Damn Toby, Ya build'em all yourself? Nice arsenal to say the least! I assume the 1362F is for chunking cause if your pluggin' with that it must wear your a$$ out that is just a part of the collection. actually, the 1362 is for plugging. i didn't leave it stock. come to think of it, i have 2 versions of that blank that i have modified. one classically, and one i turned into Franken-Rod.

Originally posted by basswipe
I strictly throw plugs.Which is better for throwing plugs the
SW or the SU blank?
Depends on the plugs :laughs:

I've got an All Star 1088 (same as SU) and it doesn't really talk to you under 2 all that much. It will launch 3-4 to the moon.

-spence

Originally posted by spence
Depends on the plugs :laughs:

I've got an All Star 1088 (same as SU) and it doesn't really talk to you under 2 all that much. It will launch 3-4 to the moon.

-spence

Ya but which is better for throwing plugs the SW or the SU?
It WILL be a Batson.Which is best?I lean towards the light side of the "lure" rating.

Sorry again Chef for the unintentional hijacking.I still got my
Tica and I LOVE it but I'm lookin' to go big!

Originally posted by basswipe
Ya but which is better for throwing plugs the SW or the SU?
It WILL be a Batson.Which is best?I lean towards the light side of the "lure" rating.

Sorry again Chef for the unintentional hijacking.I still got my
Tica and I LOVE it but I'm lookin' to go big!

My wife has the SW and I have either the All Star or SU (I told Mike he could use whatever he had more of to build on ;) ).

The SW handles stuff under 1-1/2 oz better.

What Mike P said.

-spence

Originally posted by cheferson
I wouldnt tell my tackle shop i broke it on a fish though because one i wouldnt want it to cost them anything(they are great people there) and 2nd Pt.judejoe who is a memeber here also works there and would read this post and find out anyhow. Now if i brought it at walmart that would be a different story:D :D :D . MAybe i could contact tica and do it directly through them, but then id have to wait. AAAARRRRGGGG i wish i was rich!!! So i would probally be best off getting another 8ft tica for $60 over the batson from bud8fan , seeing the tica is a lil stiffer.


Depending on how much you like that rod Chef, it might be worth the effort to try sending it back to Tica. I've got plenty of rod tubes on hand if you need one or I can just ship it from here.

We just had our first experience with Tica Customer Service and it definitely gets a :btu: for now.

I sent back two rods that "broke while fighting fish..." and Tica called back and said that the rods were backordered a few days but new ones would be shipped out as soon as they arrived.

Not bad...

Originally posted by Pete_G
We just had our first experience with Tica Customer Service and it definitely gets a :btu: for now.

How'd you get in touch?I can't find a phone# and the web address I was given wasn't valid.

It wasn't easy to get, in fact I forget how I actually found the email address I used to reach them. They eventually called and emailed me all the details regarding the warranty.

I do have the email they sent me with their warranty, things you need to include with the rod, and where to send it. If you want me to foward it to you just send an email to info@saltwateredge.com

tsunami 9ft 1-4oz costs around $80